The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-11-27

from the palace or temple, and the founda.
tons OF the houses had been exposed
many oi them consisting of but n single
room, but now and then there would be
one OF larger and more ample proportions,
and in most OF these larger ones there had
been found burial vaults and skeletons.
Two thousand OF these skeletons had been
eNhumed when was there. There was a
general burial ground where the dead
seemed To have been thrown in promiscu.
ouSly--a sort Of pottcr's ield-but the skcl.
eton5 here were so broken up that no good
specimens could be obtained. The richer
people buried their dead in their houses,
building air tight vaults for the purpose,
but the poor classes were disposed of much
as they are today in our larger cities
MIR. Gushing had found great deal OF
pottery in the tombs, as wen as in and
about the dwelling. | saw n number oil
pieces that We're well preserved and that
had been painted with much skill. Al
the best specimens seemed 10 have been
used Tor sacred purposes, and this was, no
doubt, one reason MIR. Cushing has ior be.
Loving these people, whoever they were,
had arrived at u period in their national
history when the priests were at the head
oil affairs. These finer pieces OF pottery
were of many different shades, but were
all of light color, with black markings and
figures, reminding one greatly of ancient
Egyptian pottery. The inferior specimens
look much like that made by the Arizona
Indians OF today, and which one may see
brought into Tucson almost every day for
sale. No iron, copper, or metal instru.
mcnts OF any kind have been found, but
great quantities Of stone axes, stone pestlcs
and .mOIturs, bone needles and knives.
and other such materials rs belong TO
the stone age. But the skill with which
these articles were made was far SUI
pcrior 10 that shown by the Indians found
m America by the whites. These prehis.
tonc dwcllcr OF southern Arizona were n
people of very superior intelligence. They
built cities that ranked with those found
in Mexico by Cortcz, and were in advance
OF those of the Colorado Iuni tribe Of the
present day. Mr.. Gushing thinks ;hcy
were much the same people rs the Zunis;
and | may add that he had two very in
tclligent IJni Indians with him when
was AZ his camp. He hal sent for them,
thinking they might assist him in idenii-
lying the people into whose remains he
Was making these explorations.
Mr. Gushing has found a good deal OF
wheat and barley and other grain-all Of
II, OF course, in q charrcd, blackcned con.
ditiOn, and he has also traced several
canals, aud had found the ruins OF a large
reservoir 50 that lac had no doubt that
extensive irrigation had been carried on,
and that all the valley had been under cul.
tiyation. lie thinks there must have been
n population Of at least -, 600 in the ruined.
city he was exploring, and that most OF
the inhabitants. Lived by cultiyating the
soil Of the surrounding country. This IL
not nm unreasonable conclusion. SO large
a population could not have been sup
ported 10y hunting and fishing; in fact.
this is not a means OF support even among
the Arizona Indians Of today, all Of them
growing wheat and barley, these being
their main dependence for food.
asked Mr. Gushing what was his theory
Of the disappearance of this prehistoric
people and the almost complete obliter-
ton OF their city
IL think" said he. "lhcy suffered from
some great calamity like the inhabitants
OF llcrculaneum and Pompeii. II was
probably an earthquake. have found
skeletons under the walls Of houses, lying
as II the walls had suddenly fallen upon
the person and crushed him 90 death.
Yes, think there came terrible earth.
quake, killed many, and frightened the
remainder away. They were no doubt a
religious people and strongly supcrstitious,
30 that they saw in the calamity that beirl
them q warning 10 seek some other abode.
They probably moved south, and it may
have tapn thsir DESCENDANTS that tbp
Spaniarls found in Mexico. They were
certainly equal in intelligence and general
advancement 20 the Aztccs.'
came away from Mr.. Cushing's camp
profoundly impressed by the discoveries
he had made and Of the great importance
oi his work In Arizona. No portion Of
America is IN rich in the remains Of pre-
historic peoples o. this southern district II
Arizoun, and Mr. Gushing hos hardly made
q beginning in his explorations.